Both top-down and bottom-up therapies have their place in the therapist’s office. However, it depends on what specifically you are seeking therapy for that determines the needed intervention. This blog post will briefly explore the neurobiology of the brain, the differences between top-down and bottom-up therapies, how different forms of therapy can be beneficial, and explain what forms of therapy Revitalize Mental Health PLLC provides to support mental health recovery.
Neurobiology of the Brain
The brain has three main regions: the cerebral cortex, limbic system, and brain stem. The cerebral cortex helps people process information and sensory data. Secondly, the limbic system holds the memories and emotions associated with life. Finally, the brain stem manages the body’s natural needs, such as eating, reproduction, sleep, and breathing. Click here to read more about the neurobiology of the brain! These different regions then become targets of therapeutic interventions.
What Are Top-Down Therapies
Top-down forms of psychotherapy work exactly how they sound. Top-down forms of therapy work by specifically targeting functions within the cerebral cortex. This can then change how people think, behave, and function in daily life. Common forms of top-down therapy include Brief Solution Focused Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. These forms of therapy may be helpful for some. For others, it may not be enough. This will be discussed in two sections.
What Are Bottom-Up Therapies
Bottom-up forms of psychotherapy target the body, then the brain stem, the limbic system, and finally the cerebral cortex. This allows for healing to take place within the body and nervous system first, which can be negatively impacted by stress, chronic illness, trauma, or infidelity. Bottom-up forms of therapy help to re-regulate the body and nervous system first to then allow the brain to heal from the brain stem up. Through these forms of therapy, you will notice how it is possible to live your life and not be in a constant state of stress, worry, or fear. Once this is re-established in the body and lower brain, an individual’s emotions and thoughts will begin to shift to become more adaptive and less self-critical.
Bottom-up forms of therapy may take time to become effective. Establishing safety within the body and nervous system takes time. However, the lasting effects are powerful and life-altering. Two forms of bottom-up therapy include Somatic Experiencing (SE) therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy.
Both SE and EMDR therapy work to heal and re-regulate the body, which leads to cognitive shifts as the therapy progresses. SE therapy helps to complete incomplete stress and trauma responses that become stored within the body over time. As these past experiences are completed and integrated, the mental health and/or trauma symptoms decrease because they are fully completed and no longer hold negative charges as they once did. EMDR therapy works in a similar but different way. This form of psychotherapy works to process and integrate past stressful and/or traumatic experiences via engaging in Bilateral Stimulation (BLS). Common forms of BLS include side-to-side eye movements, tapping with the opposite hand on your opposite shoulder, tracking a light moving side-to-side, or alternating audio tones. Both SE and EMDR therapy are highly effective and evidence-based in helping people heal from mental health challenges.
Which Therapy Method is Better?
This depends on your specific situation and the reasons you seek an individual therapist. As mentioned above, both top-down and bottom-up forms of therapy create positive changes in people’s lives. However, it depends on what you want to achieve long term. I tend to see bottom-up forms of therapy carrying longer-term positive changes in people’s lives, which I love to witness.
Expert Individual Therapy Near Pleasant Prairie, WI
People seek out individual therapy for a multitude of reasons. This can be for healing related to child loss, medical trauma, infidelity, anxiety, anger challenges, or the fallout from a traumatic brain injury. Whatever your reason, find a therapist you can connect with and trust.
I specialize in helping men who want to heal from past traumatic experiences during childhood, workplace trauma, grief, or infidelity. Often, men begin to notice high levels of stress, muscle tension, interpersonal difficulties, numbness, flashbacks, or relationship problems in their lives before seeking therapy. If this fits you and your life, give me a call at 720.295.6703 or submit an online form by following this link. We’ll set up a free 15-minute consultation call to ensure we are a good fit. If so, we’ll schedule our first appointment during that call. I look forward to hearing from you.
By: Daniel Gospodarek, LCSW
